Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench says that Giants catcher Buster Posey’s season-ending injury was because the young catcher put himself in a bad position.

“I teach my kids to stay away from the plate when you don’t have the ball so the runner actually sees home plate and his thought is, slide,” Bench told the Tulsa World. “But Buster is laying in front of home plate, and it’s like having a disabled car in the middle of a four-lane highway. You’re just going to get smacked.”

Bench is a spring training instructor with the Cincinnati Reds and works with the team’s catchers.

“Show them the plate,” Bench said. “You can always catch the ball and step, or step and catch the ball, as long as you’ve got the runner on the ground. And if you have the runner on the ground, there’s less chance of any severe collision.”

Posey was lost for the season on a collision play at the plate with Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins that has been widely debated for the past week and a half.

Cousins says he has received death threats over the play, while the Giants manager Bruce Bochy and general manager Brian Sabean continue to beat the drum that there was malicious intent on the play.

On Saturday, Posey released a statement through the Giants thanking fans for support and stating that he in no way condone threats of any kind against Cousins and his family.